Never judge a book by it’s cover

Never judge a book by it’s cover. I am sitting in the City, waiting for a client to join me and a homeless man wonders up to me, looking for a few dollars to sustain himself. (With what, I don’t ask but it doesn’t matter! My philosophy is that if I have it and they don’t I will gladly help out.)
As I am looking around my large bag to find my coins, I ask him his name. Joe, he replies and I bet it’s not but that doesn’t matter either. He asks me mine and I tell him.

He shows interest in why I am hanging around a street corner and I explain I am waiting for a client. I ask him why he is hanging around a street corner and he says ‘because I am homeless’. I sit at the bus stop and he takes the seat next to me. He is 32 and down on his luck (and in the prime years of his life, I believe.) A set of tragic circumstances got him to where he is today and his story is chequered with loss, sadness and grief.

We talk about resilience and I explain what it is. We talk about what has to happen to get the passion for life back and how to do it. The bottle has become a regular friend for him to drown the pain. Furthermore We talk about how to overcome this close friendship with his bottle.

He asks me what work I do and then strangely, asks me my qualifications. Weird question, I thought and I asked him what his are and my jaw almost had to be dragged off the pavement floor when he tells me he has a Masters in Math and Chemistry and – wait for it – a PhD in Animal Science.

I told him to believe in himself and use all the fantastic skills he has (with support) to live a great life and he smiles at me as he walks away.

The point is: never assume that because somebody looks a particular way and that you know where they come from or the road they have traveled. Because you don’t!

What’s your story?

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